4 ms·

Since ctrl-f "conserve" shows no matches, I'll suggest that conserving energy be some part of the discussion. Using less energy doesn't solve everything, nor d

by spodek 10y ago

Since ctrl-f "conserve" shows no matches, I'll suggest that conserving energy be some part of the discussion. Using less energy doesn't solve everything, nor does suggesting conservation mean anyone wants to return to the stone age or to lower anyone's standard of living, nor any of the usual straw men misinterpretations. Nearly everyone can use less power than they do with no loss of quality of life. Doing so will reduce the waste we create in creating the power.

TeMPOraL 10y ago
The only way to convince majority of people to conserve energy (or even expend the effort on thinking about it) is to... raise energy prices. Since we want to cut down on fossil sources, the best way to do that would be... taxing CO₂ emissions. Which is yet another reason I like the idea of an emission tax.
- freehunter 10y ago
  Exactly. I'm pretty wary of jumping straight on the latest environmental trends as sometimes we're just trading one bad situation for another and calling it progress. But I was willing to switch out all my incandescent bulbs for CFLs because it had a pretty major impact on my electric bill. Even though CFLs are an environmental disaster in and of themselves, being filled with mercury. CFLs are fragile and I don't like having to worry about cleaning up mercury spills in my house. For that reason, when LEDs became cost effective and popular, I was all too happy to start the process of replacing burned-out CFLs with new LEDs. There are three ways to motivate people IMO: cost, convenience, and social pressure. All of my neighbors have recycling bins sitting out front so I have one too. I switched to CFLs because they're cheaper to run, and then I switched to LEDs because they're far more convenient. I'd have an electric car, but in my northern climate they're not cost effective, they're really, really not convenient, and none of my friends or neighbors have one. But I have an electric snowblower because it's cheaper and more convenient.

by spodek 10y ago

TeMPOraL 10y ago

The only way to convince majority of people to conserve energy (or even expend the effort on thinking about it) is to... raise energy prices. Since we want to cut down on fossil sources, the best way to do that would be... taxing CO₂ emissions. Which is yet another reason I like the idea of an emission tax.

freehunter 10y ago
Exactly. I'm pretty wary of jumping straight on the latest environmental trends as sometimes we're just trading one bad situation for another and calling it progress. But I was willing to switch out all my incandescent bulbs for CFLs because it had a pretty major impact on my electric bill. Even though CFLs are an environmental disaster in and of themselves, being filled with mercury. CFLs are fragile and I don't like having to worry about cleaning up mercury spills in my house. For that reason, when LEDs became cost effective and popular, I was all too happy to start the process of replacing burned-out CFLs with new LEDs. There are three ways to motivate people IMO: cost, convenience, and social pressure. All of my neighbors have recycling bins sitting out front so I have one too. I switched to CFLs because they're cheaper to run, and then I switched to LEDs because they're far more convenient. I'd have an electric car, but in my northern climate they're not cost effective, they're really, really not convenient, and none of my friends or neighbors have one. But I have an electric snowblower because it's cheaper and more convenient.